Amore (43 page)

She lifted her head. “You said ‘it’.”

“I meant… us… this… it.”

“Ah, and what is this?” Shae teased.

“Friends, no?” Carlo asked.

“Friends with benefits,” Shae smiled.

“Benefits? What are the benefits?” Carlo pinched her butt and she smacked him. It really hurt. Shae lifted her wrist and showed him the red raw skin. He laughed, and nodded that he understood. She lay back and he turned on his side to stare at her. “Tell me, why aren’t you married?”

“Because I don’t want to be,” she said. “I’ve had proposals. Plenty.”

“I know you have, my strawberry lady. You have many men who want you.”

She rolled her eyes at the lame nicknames he gave her.

“I can’t have kids,” she shared.

Carlo’s brows shot up. He blinked at her as if in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I can’t have them. My lady organs to make babies are gone. Bad pregnancy when I was a teen.” Shae looked at her nails. She picked at her cuticle while she spoke to keep from looking into his eyes. “Never wanted any brats. Not really.”

“I’m sorry, beautiful,” Carlo said.

“Don’t be sorry. Some women can and some can’t. I can’t. End of story.”

Carlo turned her chin and she looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

The sincerity in his voice, and her weariness from the night overcame her. She blinked away her hurt and tears. He drew her to his arms and held her. Shae held on to him. She wasn’t domestic. She had a very successful, thriving business at home. She had money. She had lovers. And nothing she had made her feel as safe and comforted as the way she felt with him.

“Carlo?”

“Yes?” he answered.

“I can stay the night. The Battaglias think I’m with Jamie. I want to stay all night.”

“Good. I wasn’t ready to let you go.”

Happy Birthday Bella

“Bella? Bella. Wake up?” Giovanni said.

Mirabella opened her eyes. The car had stopped. She blinked over at her husband and smiled. The past two days had been a whirlwind of activity. There was so much to do after the fashion show she barely saw her husband and kids. But now they were in Bellagio. She looked down to Gianni sleeping in her arms. Gino and Eve were with Zia and Rocco. Gianni, however, refused to let anyone touch him but Mira. Her poor baby.

The door opened. Mirabella was exhausted. The sun had yet to rise, and in less than ten hours the party would begin. She desperately needed sleep.

Nico accepted Gianni from her and she eased out of the car.

“I’ll bring him inside, Donna,” Nico said.

Mirabella yawned. She nodded. Giovanni wasn’t in sight. She didn’t bother to wait for him. She followed Nico and heard the others behind her. Mainly her sister, who was shouting orders to the men, and letting everyone in earshot know they were at her villa now. Mirabella smiled and shook her head. She climbed the stairs.

“Gio?” Dominic said.

Giovanni looked back and recognized Dominic. He was surprised. He hadn’t spoken to him in two days, not since the big celebration at the Diana. The next morning he and Lorenzo flew back to Naples to deal with the Racchini clan and some unfinished business. Dominic was with Bella and the ladies.

“I need to meet with you and Lorenzo now,” Dominic said.

Giovanni glanced up. Mirabella and the family disappeared inside. Their reunion had been brief. She was asleep as soon as she joined him in the car. He had hoped to spend a little time with her before the sun rose and the children needed her.

“Can’t it wait?”

“I’m afraid not. It may be nothing, but I need to speak with you both. Now.” Dominic said.

Giovanni nodded. They walked inside and Lorenzo fell instep. Apparently Dominic had already summoned him to this meeting as well. Lorenzo kept a private wing in his villa by the lake. It had a pool table, and a large television with sofa chairs for sports watching. He had two full stocked bars, and a dartboard. Dominic drew both the doors closed when they entered. He then looked to Giovanni with concern.

“What is it?” Giovanni asked.

“Kei Hyogo,” Dominic said.

“What?” Lorenzo asked.

“I was at Nicosia’s with Carlo. The IBF has agreed to let him fight in Rome. It’s in a week.”

“What the fuck does that have to do with Kei Hyogo?” Giovanni asked. He sat in the chair behind him to keep his calm. Standing only fueled his anger and clouded his judgment.

“The challenger, he’s out of London. Asian. Chinese is what he is.”

“So?” Lorenzo asked.

“The money trail leads to the Triad. At first I thought it was a coincidence, Gio. Carlo knows nothing about this. The boxer is legit in the IBF. He’s a real opponent. But I can’t accept the coincidence. So I made some calls. I can’t confirm it, but I don’t think Kei is in prison.”

“You can’t confirm it? Where the fuck is he?” Giovanni asked.

“I don’t know. We don’t have the contacts that can tell us. He’s not dead. But where he went, what he does? There’s no way to really know. He could be back in the Triad.”

“Gio, we knew this could happen when you let the worm live,” Lorenzo said.

“He was beyond my reach.” Giovanni said. His gaze volleyed between Lorenzo and Dominic. He rubbed his brow. “I don’t like this.”

“We should have killed that bastard years ago. Domi, you were supposed to keep an eye on him,” said Lorenzo.

“He’s a fucking hedge fund or stockbroker sentenced to a prison camp in China. What the fuck else could I do?” Dominic asked.

“He’s connected to the Triad. We don’t know who he really is. He sent an assassin here for me.” Giovanni stood. He pushed his hands in his pockets. “Reach out to the Armenians. See if they have some inside track with the Triad. Or friends we can get information out of. I don’t care the cost. I need to know where Kei Hyogo is.”

“I’ll make sure we tighten security, Gio. Until we know we’ll pull the women out of Milano,” Lorenzo advised.

Giovanni nodded in agreement. It could be a coincidence. But he didn’t believe in such things. Something was missing. He didn’t trust the unknown. It would be a costly mistake.

**

“Mira?” Zia said.

Mirabella had just laid Gianni down. She was about to curl up with him in her arms when Zia appeared. She glanced back. “Are the kids settled?”

“Yes, they are both still sleeping. I made sure of it,” Zia said.

“
Grazie,
Zia. I’m so grateful to you. For the past few days I’ve been so busy. I feel really guilty about leaving you with the kids.”

“No! No worries. I love my babies. They are fine. It’s Eve I’m worried about,” Zia said.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“She keeps telling these fables. Lies,” Zia shook her head. “She says a man named Captain Hook is coming to take you and her to Neverland. She goes on and on about it. I think she is behaving this way because she misses you and Gio. Today before the party will you spend some special time with her? Talk to her?”

“Yes. I should have known. I’m sorry.” She glanced to Gianni who screamed and cried the moment she saw him today. He clung to her trembling. As soon as the sun rose she’d make it up to her babies. “I need to lay down, just for a minute. In the morning, tell Marietta the kids and I will eat up here in the room with Gio. Just family time.”

“Bene!”
Zia smiled.

Mirabella kissed her left then her right cheek.
“Grazie mille, Zia. Ti amo,”
she said.

“I will help. I love to help.” Zia kissed her and left. Mirabella sighed. She kicked off her shoes and climbed in bed. She pulled Gianni over to her and put his small face against her breast. Stroking his curly head she drifted to sleep.

Giovanni returned. They had less than three hours before sunrise. He wasn’t sleepy. He was anxious. The news of Kei Hyogo kept him unsettled.

“Bella?” he whispered.

She slept in the middle of the bed. Gianni was in her arms as she lay on her side. He unbuttoned his shirt and stared at her. The Americans loved his wife again. He saw it on the tele. Every news station buzzed with excitement over the reclusive black fashion designer who had returned. He worried that it would be costly to put her out in the front of the limelight. Not only to his family and their personal time. The greatest threat remained their enemies who would once again be focused on her.

“Bella?” he said when he slipped in behind her. He spooned her, drawing her backside up against him. He kissed her shoulder. “Bella, wake up
per favore
?”

“Giovanni, no. Please stop. I need a little more sleep,” she groaned.

He turned her chin and her eyes fluttered awake. He kissed her. She returned his passion and he ran his hand down her side. “Let me take Gianni to Zia. So you and I can be alone,” he said between kisses as his hand cupped her sex.

“No,” she turned her face away. “Go to sleep. We’ll make love in the morning.”

“It is morning now, Bella.
Mi manchi!
”

“Gio—” He turned her away from the baby so she could come into his arms. She kissed him. But he could see her exhaustion in her bloodshot eyes. She rested her face against his chest. He sighed in defeat. Giovanni held her and stared into the darkness of the room. He didn’t see any point to delving into paranoia. He’d find out where the bastard had crawled off to and make sure someone put a bullet in his skull.

**

In less than a week Shae had fallen hard for her new lover. Nothing prepared her for how good and protected Carlo made her feel. After the fight with Marietta and her sworn promise to stay away, she and Carlo were careful. Shae found the perfect excuse to sneak away with him. Marietta was so busy with the business and planning for her big in party in Bellagio, that Shae spent her days with Jamie, and her nights with Carlo. Two days ago she and Carlo dined with Kyra and Renaldo.

Unfortunately the romantic interludes could only continue if she were to come clean with Marietta. Shae didn’t look forward to it. Marietta could be unpredictable when challenged. They arrived in Bellagio. The trip out of Milan to Bellagio was done under the cover of night. She could see little of the mountainous landscape so she slept in the car. She couldn’t shake her restlessness now. As soon as the sun rose she thought of exploring. Marietta said Lorenzo had a boat she could take out on the lake. She looked forward to it.

There was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” she asked in a hushed voice.

No one responded. Shae planted her feet on the floor. It was quite late. Maybe Marietta decided to check on her? They weren’t on the same floor. She stood and felt the tension in her lower spine tighten. Shae should have considered a cool bath to soak in when she arrived. She went to the door and opened it. Her breath caught at the sight of Carlo. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Can I come in?”

“Get in here before someone sees you!” she held the door open.

He walked inside and looked around her room.

“How did you know which room was mine—” Shae was pulled up into his arms. He kissed her. She lifted her arms around his neck and kissed him back. “What are you doing here? You said you wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow night? How’s Ciro?”

“He’s a pain in my ass. He wants pussy. I told him he can’t have any while he trains. I’ve brought him with me to keep an eye on him.”

“And the trainer? Can he have some?” Shae smiled.

“Only if the lady agrees,” Carlo spun her. Shae had to swallow her cry of excitement. She hugged his neck tighter.

“So? Did he win?” Shae asked.

Carlo nodded. “And we have the fight in Napoli. It is going to happen.”

“IBF?” she grinned.

“IBF!” his smile broadened.

“You did it! You fucking did it!” Shae laughed. She wanted to go to the fight, but Jamie and Kyra had to return to work. She had no cover. Carlo put her down on her feet and held her face with his large hands. This time his kiss crashed on her lips and robbed her of breath. “Wait. Wait, Carlo. We can’t.” She tried to push him off.